White-capped parrot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White-capped parrot |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Family: | Psittacidae |
| Genus: | Pionus |
| Species: |
P. seniloides
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| Binomial name | |
| Pionus seniloides (Massena & Souancé, 1854)
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| Synonyms | |
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Speckle-faced parrot (White-capped), P. tumultuosus selinoides |
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The white-capped parrot (Pionus seniloides) is a special bird found in South America. It's a type of parrot that lives in countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. These parrots are known for their unique white caps, which give them their name! They belong to a big family of parrots called Psittacidae.
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What's in a Name?
Scientists sometimes have different ideas about how to classify animals. For the white-capped parrot, some groups like the International Ornithological Committee think it's its own unique species. This means they see it as a distinct type of bird.
However, other groups, like the South American Classification Committee, think it might be a subspecies. They believe it's a type of plum-crowned parrot. It's like saying a golden retriever is a specific type of dog, but a Labrador is also a type of dog. Scientists keep studying these birds to learn more.
What Does the White-Capped Parrot Look Like?
The white-capped parrot is about 28 to 30 centimeters (11 to 12 inches) long. That's about the length of a ruler! It weighs around 229 grams (8 ounces), which is like two small apples.
Colors and Features
- Its forehead is white, sometimes with a few pink feathers.
- The top of its head, face, throat, and chest are a dusky violet or dull purple. These areas often have small pink flecks.
- Its back, wings, and belly are a bright green.
- The feathers under its tail and the base of its tail are red.
- The rest of its tail is green, with some blue on the outer feathers.
- Its beak is a pale yellowish color.
- It has dark eyes with whitish skin around them.
- Its legs and feet are gray.
Where Do White-Capped Parrots Live?
You can find the white-capped parrot in western Venezuela. They also live in Colombia's Eastern Andes mountains. In Ecuador and northwestern Peru, they are found on both sides of the Andes mountains.
Favorite Places to Live
These parrots like to live in forests. They prefer the tops of trees and the edges of subtropical and temperate forests. They live at high elevations, usually between 1,500 and 3,200 meters (about 4,900 to 10,500 feet) above sea level.
How Do White-Capped Parrots Behave?
Movement and Travel
White-capped parrots are very nomadic. This means they don't stay in one place for long. They seem to move around a lot and might travel to different elevations depending on the season. They are always on the go!
What Do They Eat?
Scientists don't know a lot about what white-capped parrots eat every day. They are known to feed on fruits. Some fruits they eat come from the Turpinia paniculata tree. They also eat fruits from plants in the Clusiaceae family.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
White-capped parrots are thought to lay their eggs in November and December. We don't know much about how they raise their young in the wild. However, in zoos, a female parrot usually lays about four eggs. The eggs hatch after about 26 days. Like other parrots in their group, they probably build their nests inside holes in trees.
What Do They Sound Like?
The calls of the white-capped parrot sound a bit like other parakeets. People describe their calls as "kreeyah-kreeyah-kreeyahkreeyah." They make these sounds both when they are flying and when they are sitting on a branch.
How Are White-Capped Parrots Doing?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has looked at the white-capped parrot's situation. They have assessed it as "Least Concern." This means that while their population might be getting smaller, there are still many of them. They are not in immediate danger of disappearing.
The white-capped parrot lives in a very large area. However, we don't know exactly how many of these birds there are. They are considered uncommon, meaning you don't see them everywhere. No big threats to them have been found right now.
 | Bayard Rustin |
 | Jeannette Carter |
 | Jeremiah A. Brown |
